Asia has become the hub of automotive growth worldwide, with a unique mix of advanced economies and emerging nations. Similarly, the region is home to car makers of all kinds, from legacy manufacturers to upstart challengers. Because of this, Brembo selected Asia as the site of its newest factory, dedicated to brake pads production. Officially inaugurated in 2023, the Brembo – BRGP plant is located in Jinan, China, a major manufacturing and logistics hub in North-Eastern China. And this past November, AutoPerformance Ph, official distributor of Brembo brakes in the Philippines, was invited as part of the very first group of visitors to Brembo’s latest Asian expansion.
The visit started in Brembo’s new logistics hub in Qingdao, a port city on China’s eastern seaboard, most famous for its beer-making history. Consisting of two massive warehouses totaling 17,000 square meters, it houses the full range of Brembo Aftermarket products, including its Prime Ceramic line of brake pads, UV-coated brake discs, and Premium brake fluid. A brake disc laboratory is also on site, dedicated to brake disc quality, performance, and safety testing.
While seeing the massive warehouse was already impressive, the Brembo – BRGP factory was another thing altogether. Here are some mind-bending numbers: The plant makes over 6,000 brake pad part numbers, and produces nearly 10 million every year, which is just 80% of its true capacity. And its current defect rate is under 10 pieces for every million produced, well below Toyota’s legendary 100 ppm requirement from its parts suppliers. For an operation this size, it actually has a modest labor force of about 400 people. This, however, is due to the heavy use of robotics and automation in the manufacturing and packing process.
The process starts with a meticulous selection of raw materials, which is kept in controlled environment. These materials are combined in various ratios to create over 100 different compounds, each engineered for specific vehicles or vehicle types. The friction material is then compressed, cured, and bonded to metal backing plates in an automated process, before being ground into its final shape. The backing plate is then sprayed with a protective layer of paint, and all hardware and clips are attached. The finished brake pads are then packed, with an instruction manual, a sachet of brake grease, and a Brembo sticker. The final step is to seal the box with an anti-tamper sticker guarantee product authenticity. Like the warehouse, the factory also has an in-house laboratory, where brake pads are tested to the limits of performance, safety, and noise levels.
This facility manufactures premium level replacement brake pads for most popular makes and models from Japanese, Korean, American, and European cars, with a selection of Chinese cars coming soon. Product ranges include both the standard low-metallic and ceramic brake pads, as well as Brembo’s Xtra performance line. These brake pads are not just for the Asian market. They are shipped globally, to the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Australia, and of course to the Philippines.
And when the products arrive in the Philippines, they are made available to over 100 AutoPerformance authorized dealers nationwide, as well as through AutoPerformance official stores on Lazada and Shopee. For information about how you can get Brembo brake pads for your car, visit www.autoperformanceph.com or visit the AutoPerformance Ph Facebook page.
